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Podcast: The Lead Podcast presented by Heart Rhythm Society
Episode: The Lead Episode 128: A Discussion of Long-Term Anticoagulation Discontinuation After Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: The ALONE-AF Randomized Clinical Trial
Description: Join Phillip Cuculich, MD and his guests Tina Baykaner, MD, MPH and Atul Verma, MD, FHRS for this lively discussion of a cutting edge topic. The ALONE-AF trial evaluated whether patients who remained free of atrial fibrillation for at least one year after catheter ablation could safely discontinue long-term oral anticoagulation. In this randomized study of more than 800 patients, stopping anticoagulation resulted in similarly low rates of stroke or systemic embolism and significantly fewer major bleeding events compared with continuing therapy. The findings suggest that, in carefully selected post-ablation patients, long-term anticoagulation discontinuation may be a safe...